M-DCPS' DEPT. OF FOOD AND NUTRITION WINS NATIONAL AWARDS August 29, 2001 Miami-Dade County Public Schools' Department of Food and Nutrition recently won the United States Department of Agriculture's Best Practice Award for Nutrition Education in the Creative Implementation of the School Meals Initiative category. The award is given for implementing a creative nutrition education curriculum aimed at students and food service staff. Food and Nutrition also won Best Practice Awards from The American School Food Service Association for Marketing and Customer Service and for Nutrition Education. The Marketing and Customer Service award was won for a districtwide "Teamed up for School Lunch" campaign conducted during National Lunch Week. The campaign involved Florida Marlins' mascot "Billy;" The Hurricanes, the University of Miami's Football team; Christina Gonzalez, WPLG reporter; and Dr. Deanna Lites, WFOR TV Health Reporter. The Best Practice Award for Nutrition Education featured the innovative methods used by educators to teach nutrition in classrooms, which ultimately lead to healthier food choices by students. For more information, contact Carol Chong at 305-995-3230. ### 01-AMC026/JPS Back to Press Releases